Shades Of Gray Lyrics - Robert Earl Keen

We made Oklahoma a little after 3 

Randy, his brother Bob and my old G-M-C 

We had some moonshine whiskey 

And some of Bob's homegrown 

We were so messed up we didn't know 

If we were drunk or stoned 

Randy was a sad-sack, tall kinda frail 

Bob was a raving maniac, crazy in the head 

They been kicked out of high school several years ago 

For pushin' over port-a-cans at the 4-H rodeo 

Since then they've done their little dance 

Right outside the law 

Popped twice in Oklahoma, once in Arkansas 

And I don't know what possessed me 

To want to tag along 

Cause I was raised a Christian 

And I knew right from wrong 

[Chorus] 

Right or wrong, black or white 

Cross the line your gonna pay 

In the dawn before the light 

Live and die by the shades of gray 

We stole two Charolais heifers from 

Randy's sweetheart's paw 

Sold them at the livestock sale 

Outside of Wichita 

We got $900 and never did suspect 

The world of hurt we'd be in once 

We cashed that check 

Next day we heard the story 

On the local radio 

Made our plans that very night 

To go to Mexico 

I swear we would have made it 

If it wasn't for that shine 

I got sick about the time we crossed 

That Kansas line 

[Chorus] 

I was layin in the bar ditch 

Prayin I would die 

When a light come on above us 

And a voice come from the sky 

A half a dozen unmarked cars 

Came screeching to a halt 

They grabbed bob, he started screamin' 

It was all my fault 

There were men and dogs 

And helicopter buzzin' all around 

They had the brothers on the 

Pickup hood and me down on the ground 

Bob flew all to pieces but randy he 

Held tight when a black man in a 

Suit and tie stepped out into the light 

He told his men to turn us loose 

They put down their guns 

He said these are just some 

Sorry kids, they ain't the ones 

[Chorus] 

They left us by the roadside 

Down hearted and alone 

Randy got behind the wheel 

Said boys I'm going home 

We turned around to face our fate 

Downhearted but alive on that 

Mornin' in late April, Oklahoma, 1995